Residents in the St. Louis area have an unprecedented opportunity to participate in a historic study that has the potential to change the face of cancer for future generations. Men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer are needed to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). CPS-3 will enroll a diverse population of 300,000 people across the United States and Puerto Rico. The opportunity for local residents to enroll in CPS-3 is being made possible in partnership with some of St. Louis’ top employers. UMB Bank, Edward Jones, Centene Corporation, Maritz Holding, Inc., KPMG, Monsanto, and Siteman Cancer Center will be hosting CPS-3 enrollment sites from April 23 – May 2, 2013. Eligibility and enrollment details can be found at cancerstudymo.org.

CPS-3 will help researchers better understand the lifestyle, environmental, and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer. “Currently, there are no other studies of this magnitude in the US that enable researchers to look at various racial and ethnic populations and cancer risk,” stated Mike Dany, Executive Vice President for the American Cancer Society. “We commend our corporate and health care partners for taking the lead to offer their sites for participants to enroll in this critically important study.”

Enrollment in the study involves two steps. After scheduling an appointment, individuals will be asked to complete a comprehensive survey online that asks for information on lifestyle, behavioral, and other factors related to their health. Step two involves an in-person enrollment process which takes approximately 20-30 minutes and includes measuring waist circumference and collecting a small blood sample from participants. Upon completion of this process, the Society will send periodic follow-up surveys every few years to individuals to update their information and annual newsletters with study updates and results.

Researchers will use the data from CPS-3 to build on evidence from a series of American Cancer Society studies that began in the 1950s that collectively have involved millions of volunteer participants. The Hammond-Horn Study and previous Cancer Prevention Studies (CPS-I, and CPS-II) have played a major role in understanding cancer prevention and risk, and have contributed significantly to the scientific basis and development of public health guidelines and recommendations. Those studies confirmed the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, demonstrated the link between larger waist size and increased death rates from cancer and other causes, and showed the considerable impact of air pollution on heart and lung conditions. The current study, CPS-II, began in 1982 and is still ongoing. But changes in lifestyle and in the understanding of cancer in the more than two decades since its launch make it important to begin this new study. The voluntary, long-term commitment by CPS-3 participants is what will produce benefits for decades to come.